Harry Potter and the Shaman's Legacy
by RevCorby
Summary: Harry is mad, Harry is powerful, Harry is scared. What can Harry do? Help presents itself in the form of a metamorph.
1. Chapter 1

"BOY! You will regret letting your freak friends threaten me." With that statement, Vernon Dursley turned and stomped towards his car, his stick-figure wife, Petunia, and beached-whale son, Dudley, scurrying behind. He unlocked the boot, and then got into the car to wait. Harry Potter sighed deeply as he followed them to the car. After all that had happened in the last month, he was not surprised that his summer was starting out so badly. He hoped that Professor Dumbledore would get him to the Burrow sooner than usual. He swore that he would never set foot in Grimmuald Place again. His thoughts turned to the events that had occurred in the Veil Room, and he slammed the boot closed in an attempt to keep his emotions in check. As soon as he got into the car and shut the door, Uncle Vernon slammed on the gas and sped down the road. The entire drive back to Surrey was filled with the sounds of Dudley snoring and Vernon and Petunia haranguing Harry about his 'freak friends' and how abnormal they were, and how-dare-they-threaten-us. The more the Dursley's went on, the angrier Harry got. By the time they reached the house, Harry was clenching his teeth so hard he was afraid they would break. Harry got out of the car with Hedwig in tow and went around to the boot. It popped open and Harry grabbed his trunk and hauled it into the house once Aunt Petunia unlocked the door. He hauled everything into his room before Uncle Vernon could decide to lock it up. He was still so mad he was shaking over everything his uncle and aunt had said in the car. After he shoved his trunk into the too small closet, he stood facing the door, waiting. He knew his uncle was going to come up and give him a hard time and he would be ready this time. As his anger grew, his hair started to move, even though the window was closed. Unknown to Harry, his eyes were starting to glow. He heard Vernon's heavy footsteps as he came up the stairs and his anger grew. When his uncle pounded on the door and started yelling, Harry got even madder, and sparks started flying off his hair. When Vernon kicked the door open, slamming it into the wall, Harry clenched his fists. As Vernon screamed unintelligibly in Harry's face, he started to sputter as he noticed the odd appearance of his hated nephew. When Harry started to rise up off the ground, Vernon got even madder. When Vernon started belittling Harry's dead parents, Harry started floating forward very slowly. But the situation did not spiral out of control until Vernon went too far.

"...And I had better not see that no-good godfather of yours around here!" At once, Vernon knew he had messed up. The light in Harry's eyes flared and Harry screamed,

**"ENOUGH! YOU WILL NOT MENTION SIRIUS AGAIN!" **In an attempt to salvage control, Vernon said something stupider.

"What are you going to do about it, you abnormality?!" Harry screamed at the top of his lungs and Vernon Dursley, who stood almost two meters and weighed in at almost 21 stone, was tossed into the hallway and against the wall as if he were a rag doll. There was a sickening crunch and a crash as Vernon's bones broke, and the front door was blasted open almost simultaneously. Nymphadora Tonks ran up the stairs and into Harry's room, not even glancing at the crumpled form on the hallway floor. Harry was starting to notice himself, and now he no longer looked angry, he looked scared. His eyes started drooping as his feet touched back down and he looked up to see his friend standing there.

"Tonks...help," he said in a small voice just before he was swallowed by darkness.

Harry awoke to the sound of a siren getting farther away and wondered what was going on. The last thing he remembered was getting out of the car at Privet Drive. He abruptly realized that he was lying with his head in someone's lap and that someone was singing softly and running their fingers thru his hair. It felt so good that he decided not to open his eyes just yet. The voice was singing a Welsh lullaby he had heard before, but he couldn't remember where or when. The voice was familiar, but he couldn't place who it was. Finally the song came to an end and a chuckle was heard.

"You may as well open your eyes," said the silky voice of Nymphadora Tonks. "I know you are awake. You don't smile that big when you sleep." Harry's eyes flew open and he started sputtering.

"Y-y-you watch me sleep?" Tonks shrugged as if it were no big deal.

"Someone's got to keep an eye on you." Harry turned bright red as he smiled.

"So what are you doing here, and how did I get in your lap?" Harry tried to get up and immediately fell back, groaning. "And why do I feel like a dragon just stepped on me and scraped me off on a tree?" With that image, Tonks laughed out loud. Harry blushed, and added, "And why c-can't I remember anything since I got here?" At this, Tonks got a very grave expression.

"Harry, you hurt your uncle very badly. I am not sure what exactly happened, but you got out of the car looking like you were ready to kill something, and you stormed into the house after your aunt. About a minute after your uncle went into the house, I felt a magical backlash stronger than I have ever felt. I Reducto'd the front door and came running in just as your uncle hit the hallway wall at full speed. I ran upstairs just in time to see you floating, eyes glowing and hair sparking. Then you stopped floating, and you said, 'Tonks...help,' and then passed out. I barely caught you before you hit the floor. Your aunt came running up the stairs to see what happened and screamed like a banshee when she saw your uncle. I got you into bed and managed to get her to call 999. The ambulance leaving with Vernon is probably what woke you. He is going to be in the hospital for months. You almost broke his back, Harry. You have been passed out for almost an hour. After the healers came in, I decided to sit with you."

She looked a bit uncomfortable for a moment. "Albus is on his way." Harry sat bolt up in his bed.

"What?! Why? I really don't want to see him for any reason right now." Harry flopped back onto the bed and turned onto his side, momentarily forgetting who he was using as a pillow.

"I'm sorry Harry," Tonks said softly. "Your aunt and cousin are going to be staying in London near the hospital that is taking your uncle. They won't be coming back until after you leave for Hogwarts, and your aunt won't hear of you staying with them." Harry mumbled something into Tonks' lap. She chuckled softly. "As much as I like a warm breath on my thigh, you will need to turn over if you want me to understand you." Harry rolled over slowly, blushing very brightly.

"I said, I am not going back to London. And I know you know where I mean." Tonks looked very sad at this.

"I haven't been back there either. I loved him too. And you will have to talk to Albus about that. I am just your shadow. I have no actual say about your safety." Tonks managed to look very upset about that. Harry finally managed to sit up.

"You never told me why I hurt so much."

Tonks just looked at Harry for a moment, seeming to size him up. Harry started to fidget under her gaze, but found himself unable to look away from her eyes, which were currently pale lavender.

"Harry, there are some things that you should have heard from a father figure, but since that is not really possible, I guess I am elected. I am sure you are familiar with puberty and its effects on the body." Harry blushed furiously at this, but managed to nod. "Things are a little different with magical adolescents. When you hit puberty, your magic grows, and builds up, preparing for when you have enough control and discipline to fully use it. Sometimes it builds up too much and needs a release. With most teens, it comes in the form of random accidental magic, such as setting homework on fire, or exploding drinking glasses. The outburst is a little stronger when emotions are running high." Harry practically choked at this.

"A little?" Tonks gave him that piercing look again.

"As I said, Mr. Potter, with MOST teens. You, however, seem to be a law unto yourself. The magical outburst is why you hurt. You pushed all that magic right thru your skin. With most kids, after an outburst half that strong, they would be magically exhausted and unable to perform even a simple levitating spell for several days or even weeks. In your case, your magical reserves are as full as if you had never had the outburst." Harry seemed confused.

"What do you mean?" Tonks' expression softened as she took pity on the poor boy.

"It means that you have more magic in your body than most people three times your age. Realistically, your body shouldn't be able to handle that much magic without causing serious problems, but your body seems to be uniquely suited for it, maybe due to the fact that you absorbed a killing curse so young. No one is really sure what effect that killing curse had on you since no one has ever survived one. It is entirely possible that absorbing that much magic so young expanded your magical reservoir to previously unknown limits. Hermione could probably tell you more about that kind of magical theory than I could."

At the mention on his bushy-haired genius friend, Harry's face fell. Tonks looked at him with a question in her eyes.

"What is it?" she asked softly. Harry's response was so soft, it was almost a whisper.

"I almost got her killed. All of them. I didn't listen to her and I got Si…Si…him killed. I killed my godfather because I wouldn't listen to my best friend. I killed him because I was a fool. I let myself be tricked and now he's dead." Tears were now pouring down his face as he stared at the bed. Tonks didn't respond and when Harry finally looked up, her face was bright red with anger, and her hair was changing colors rapidly. Harry blanched and scooted back on the bed. "Tonks?" She looked at him with a frightening stare and took a deep breath.

"**HARRY JAMES POTTER I NEVER WANT TO HEAR THAT LOAD OF BOLLOCKS FROM YOU EVER AGAIN! YOU WENT AFTER SIRIUS OUT OF LOVE! YOUR FRIENDS FOLLOWED YOU OUT OF LOVE! SIRIUS DIED SAVING YOU BECAUSE OF LOVE! I HAVE TALKED TO ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS THAT WERE THERE AND NONE OF THEM BLAME YOU AND NEITHER DO I! IF I HEAR OF YOU BLAMING YOURSELF FOR HIS DEATH AGAIN YOU WILL ANSWER TO ME!"** Harry sat back on the bed in total shock. After a moment he realized that she was right.

"Thank you, Tonks. I think I needed that very much." Harry shakily started to get to his feet, only to find that he was still not very steady on them. Tonks was beside him instantly, providing a stable support. It was only after he was standing fully upright that he received his next shock. He was taller than Tonks. When he had last seen her, she was still a few centimeters taller than him. Now he was several centimeters taller than her. He looked down into her eyes and noticed for the first time that she was not all that much older than him, and very pretty. Then he thought about Ginny and blushed. Tonks decided not to rib him about it, for once.

"Let's wait for Professor Dumbledore in the living room. Help me get down the stairs," Harry said softly. He winced when he saw the crater in the hallway wall, but said nothing as Tonks helped him down the stairs.


	2. Chapter 2

2

Just as it was starting to get dark outside, there was a knock on the back door of the Dursley house. Tonks rose to go get let her leader in, having spent the last hour entertaining Harry by transforming her hair to different colors and styles from American rock bands.

"Hello Nymphadora, I trust you are well?" She glared at Albus Dumbledore.

"Must you continue to call me that? You know I hate that name." She glanced towards the living room, where Harry waited for them. "I told him about the magical outburst and about the Dursleys staying in London. He told me straight out that he won't go back to Grimmuald. I also, well, I kinda blew up at him for blaming himself for Sirius' death. He said that he needed that. Albus, the power in that young man worries me. He could be a danger to himself and others if it isn't tempered. He needs to go to a shaman." Albus looked very grave at this statement. He sat at the kitchen table to think for a moment.

"As far as I am aware, Nymphadora, there are currently no shamans in England." Albus looked up just in time to see a slightly ashamed look pass over Tonks' face.

"Actually, there are two. I can only tell you about one, I am sworn to secrecy about the other. The one I can tell you about is closer than you think. They have already expressed interest in taking Harry in. Harry has shown promise in many areas and the shaman in question is a master of them all. They are also very secretive. I am the only person who can contact them. The final decision is yours." Albus looked very sad at this last statement.

"No, Nymphadora, it is not. The final decision will be Harry's. Making his decisions for him has been my greatest mistake. I have damaged the trust and friendship between us and I fear the rift may be too great to mend. I will not risk tearing it further asunder. I will run his life no longer. He is the greatest hope of the wizarding world. It would not do to see him lose that hope. Let us go see young Mr. Potter."

Harry looked up when the kitchen door opened. His face grew grim when he saw his headmaster walk through the door, Tonks meekly in step behind him. Tonks sat down next to Harry on the sofa and Dumbledore sat on the love seat opposite them. He said nothing as he conjured a tea set and proceeded to serve them all. After sitting and sipping for a moment, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, the most powerful wizard alive looked at Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, and did the one thing he had never done before. He begged for forgiveness.

"Harry, I am so sorry. I have wronged you greatly, and it pains me to see the dislike in your eyes. I was wrong to send you here 14 years ago, and I was wrong to send you back here every year. I was wrong to have Professor Snape teach you Occlumency, and most importantly, I was wrong to keep Sirius prisoner in his own home. I hope you can forgive me someday, but I will not ask it of you today. Instead, I have decided to tell you what you need to know, and let you make your own decision." Harry said nothing, but nodded for Dumbledore to continue. "Harry, your sudden increase in power has shown that you have the potential to become a shaman." Harry's look of confusion was quickly overshadowed by suspicion.

"What, exactly, is a shaman? Is that some kind of voodoo doctor?" Tonks quickly coughed into her hand to hide her laughter. Dumbledore smiled pleasantly.

"No, Harry. As you have learned in class, wizards and witches are more in tune with their bodies than muggles. They must be to be able to control their magic. This is even truer with animagi and metamorphs like Minerva and Nymphadora. However, a shaman is someone who has total awareness and control of their bodies, minds and magic. In the entire world, there are less than a hundred shamans, and more than half of them are in the colonies. I had thought that there were none in England currently, but Nymphadora tells me there are two, one of which she can contact. That person has also apparently expressed interest in training you." Harry looked at the headmaster, then at Tonks.

"Who is it?" Tonks shook her head.

"I cannot tell you who it is, Harry, unless you agree to train. I cannot even tell Albus who it is." Harry looked back over to Dumbledore.

"Where am I going to stay? I won't go back there." Dumbledore nodded.

"If you decide to train with the shaman, Tonks will take you to them and you will stay with them until your training is over. Otherwise, I have had the wards at the Burrow strengthened a great deal. It won't be as safe as number 12, but it will be safe enough." Harry looked thoughtful.

"How long would my training last?" Tonks quickly spoke up.

"It is different for everyone, but it can be anywhere from a few months to a few years. I doubt it would take you more than six months." Harry looked confused.

"What about school? I have to go back in September." Tonks smiled.

"The shaman has already agreed to train you at Hogwarts if the training lasts past September first." Harry started tapping his fingernail on his glasses as he thought.

"Professor, what do you think?" Dumbledore looked please that his opinion was asked for.

"The shamans are very secretive, so I know very little about the training, but I know that they are the most disciplined of all magical persons. They are so in tune with themselves that it is not possible for one to go dark. I think it would be very good for you, but the final decision is yours. I will not ask you to decide today. I have taken the liberty of booking you two a suite at the Leaky Cauldron for the next week. You may take that time to decide. The suite is under the names Mr. and Mrs. Flatbush. Tonks will be using a concealment charm on your scar, and will change your hair color so you will not be recognized. I must go now. I have other things that must be done. Harry, I am sorry about Sirius, and there is more for us to talk about when you are ready. My door is always open to you." Harry nodded, and then watched as Fawkes appeared in a flash of fire, landed on Dumbledore's shoulder, and the both of them disappeared. Tonks jumped up and clapped her hands.

"Well, four-eyes, lets get going."

Tonks walked over to the telephone and started dialing.

"Hey, it's me. I need my car in Surrey. Fifteen minutes? Okay, you know where. Thanks. Bye." She hung up and looked at Harry.

"Harry, this will be your last time in this house, unless you decide to come back later. You won't be coming back next summer. Make sure you pack up everything that is yours. Let me know if you need any help." Harry looked mildly shocked. He stood up and started walking around aimlessly.

"The only things that aren't still in my trunk from school are my books from my first four years. Everything else I always take with me." Tonks once again turned her penetrating gaze upon the boy, making him fidget nervously.

"I want you to change into your robes, and leave all your hand-me-down clothes here. I am going to take you shopping for some proper clothes that actually fit you, both wizard and muggle. I am going to take you to Madam Malkin's, then to Harrods of London. Merlin knows you can afford it. Go pack." Harry went upstairs and Tonks made another phone call while she was waiting.

"Hello? Is Hermione there? Hey, it's Tonks. Harry and I are leaving the Dursley's and staying at the Leaky Cauldron for a week before Harry decides what to do. We will be in disguise as the Flatbushes. I think it would do him some good to have you there, as we are going to be doing some serious shopping, and he has never been before. I have a good amount of muggle knowledge because my father was muggle-born, but you are more comfortable in the muggle world, plus you are close to Harry. I would appreciate if you could meet us in the dining room at the Cauldron tomorrow morning at eleven. Thanks Hermione. Bye." Just as Tonks hung up, a car pulled up outside the house. Tonks heard a car door shut, and then the doorbell rang. She opened the door, just as Harry started dragging his trunk down the stairs.

"Here son, let me." With that, the wizard at the door waved his wand and the trunk floated out of Harry's hand and down the stairs. Harry looked at the wizard and at Tonks with confusion in his eyes.

"Harry Potter, meet my father, Ted Tonks. He is just dropping off my car. I don't use it often, so I leave it at his house. It makes mum happy because she doesn't want him getting one, and he gets to use mine." Harry walked down the stairs and set Hedwig's cage down so he could shake Mr. Tonks hand.

"Pleased to meet you, sir." Ted turned to his daughter.

"If you drop me off past Wisteria Walk, I can apperate from there. That is the edge of the wards." Tonks nodded and started to move Harry's trunk out to the car. Harry looked around in a daze.

"I am leaving forever," he said, almost in a whisper. As soon as the words escaped his lips, there was a blinding light, and when it passed, there was a shoebox and a letter in Harry's hands. "What? Tonks? W-w-what was that?" Tonks smiled at Harry.

"It seems that once again, your mum has proven what a good charms witch she was. That is your mum's handwriting on that letter. I have seen things she has written at work." Harry walked out to the car in a daze, his school robes flowing about him in the evening breeze. He got into the back seat and closed the door, staring down at the box in his hands. Hedwig flapped haughtily in her cage, showing her ire at being left in the entryway. Tonks laughed and picked up the cage as she shut and locked the front door. She climbed in the driver's seat as her father climbed in the other side, and they took off for London, dropping Mr. Tonks off on the way.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: I do not respond to private messages asking when the next update will be posted. I have a job and a family. I post when I can. I would love to get ten review on each chapter before I post the next, but I know that is wishful thinking. I am currently about three chapters ahead of what I have posted and I am trying to keep it that way. Read/Review/Enjoy. RevCorby

P.S. I respond to reviews over private message, so if you want a response, don't review anonymously.

Chapter Three

After letting Ted Tonks out of the car so he could apparate home, Harry got into the front seat. He looked up at Tonks, only to burst out laughing at her multi-colored hair.  
>"Why do you know how to drive? You aren't muggle born. And why do you have a car?" Tonks glanced over.<br>"I learned to drive as part of my Auror training. Better to be able to blend into the muggle world when needed. As for the car, my father's older brother, who was a muggle, left it to me when he died a few years ago. My father is muggle born, so I probably would have learned to drive eventually anyway." Harry nodded, and then sat back for a moment, deep in thought. He sat for a few minutes, watching the scenery, and then suddenly blushed furiously.  
>"Um, Tonks, do I remember correctly that Professor Dumbledore booked us a room as a couple?" Tonks smiled, "A married couple, to be specific. Is this a problem for you?"Harry started to stammer, "N-n-not really, but what about the sl-sl-sleeping arrangements?" Tonks laughed out loud."You really are innocent, aren't you Mr. Potter. Yes we will be sharing a bed, but the suites at the Leaky Cauldron have very large beds, so as long as you keep your hands to yourself, there shouldn't be a problem." At this, Harry blushed even brighter and mumbled something about catching a nap before they got to London. Tonks just chuckled as he curled up against the door and fell asleep.<br>~~~

"Harry, wake up. We are almost there." Harry sat up slowly, still slightly groggy from his nap. "I need to pull over and put the concealment charms on you before we go to the Leaky Cauldron. This looks like the best place." Harry and Tonks got out of the car and walked around back of it. "First I am going to transfigure your robes a bit so they don't look like student-wear. Then I am going to conceal your scar, dissillusion your glasses so they can't be seen, and make your hair blonde. That should be enough to make you unrecognizable." As soon as she finished speaking, she started waving her wand about after making sure no one was around to see. She spoke not a word as she went about doing exactly what she said she was going to. Harry was very obviously confused.  
>"How did you do all that without speaking the incantations?" Tonks glared at him, a look of disgust on her face.<br>"That is one of the few things I don't like about the way Albus runs Hogwarts. He refuses to enter wordless magic into the curriculum. It is required training for Aurors. Incantations are merely a guideline, meant to put you in the proper frame of mind to cast an unfamiliar spell. If you are casting a spell you are very familiar with, and simply forget to say the incantation, the result will be the same. I am sure you have seen Mrs. Weasley cleaning the kitchen by waving her wand while she was in a conversation with half the room." Harry nodded. Now that she mentioned it, he could recall many occasions where an adult had used a spell without an incantation.  
>"What if you silently cast a spell you are not familiar with?" Tonks beamed at him proudly.<br>"That is a perfect question. It totally depends on the person, the spell, the type of spell it is, and the emotional state the person is in. More emotions means more power, but most of the time it also means less control. It is easier to miscast a spell when emotional, but it is also easier to cast more powerful spells." They climbed back in the car and started driving again. "Now, when we get here, you need to go tell Tom, the Publican, that we have reservations for Flatbush. It would look strange if I did it. Be sure that you act like you belong there, but don't overdo it. The more you act like yourself, the less you have to act." Harry nodded.

They pulled up in front of the Leaky Cauldron a few minutes later. "Go ahead and take your trunk and get the room. I will bring Hedwig with me after I park." Harry got out and retrieved his trunk from the boot. He walked inside and looked around, trying to bury his nervousness. He walked up to the bar. Tom looked at him for a moment, a slight frown on his face. "'Ay, do I know you? Look familiar, you do." Harry managed to look a little put off."I am afraid not. I have reservations for Flatbush." Tom jumped up and dashed around the bar.

"Go ahead and have a seat, guv, and I will take your trunk up to your room. Your dinner will be ready shortly." Harry nodded, managing somehow to look bored, and sat at a table in the corner. He looked around, trying to see if anyone he knew was around. After a moment, he realized it was probably a good thing that no one familiar was there, as he would have been tempted to talk to them. He just watched to everyday goings-on as he waited for Tonks. After a moment, a lithe, leggy blond witch with rosy cheeks and a generous smile walked in with a tawny owl in a cage. Harry started to ignore her, when he realized that the cage looked familiar. He then took a closer look at the witch and noticed the same lavender eyes he had been trying not to stare at all day. He stood up and motioned with his hand. "Dora, I'm over here." She nodded once, strutted over and lightly set the owl cage on the floor. She leaned over and kissed his cheek as she slid into the booth with him. She snuggle up to him, and placed her lips close to his ear.  
>"Dora?" she asked. Harry managed to look like he hadn't just used part of her dreaded first name.<br>"Well, the registration doesn't have any first names on it, so I listed us and Henry and Dora, so we wouldn't have to remember names. Those are close enough to our real names that we should answer to them without thinking." Tonks gave him another one of those by-now-familiar stares long enough to make him start to fidget in his seat. "What?" he asked, a little desperately.  
>"That, Mr. Flatbush, was a very good idea. I am a little surprised that you managed to come up with that so quickly. I will allow you to call me Dora, for now. But only Dora. The rest of my name remains unuttered, is that perfectly clear?" She had to suppress a grin as he nodded furiously. She reached over and grabbed a menu off the table and handed to Harry. "Now, let's eat, and then we will go up to the suite to talk."<p>

After the sumptuous meal that the Leaky Cauldron served, Harry and Tonks allowed Tom the publican to show them to the suite they were using. Upon entering, Harry understood why Tom had been so deferential to him when he arrived. This had to be the most expensive suite in the place. There was a sitting room immediately inside the door, with a small table and four chairs, and two love seats facing each other at an angle, so that they were both also facing the large fireplace on the wall. Further in was a private loo with a shower and a large bathtub, plenty big enough for two. Harry blushed quite red at the thoughts that crossed his mind when he saw the tub. He walked through the other door into the bedroom and saw that Tonks had been exaggerating a bit when she said the beds were big. It was absolutely palatial. This bed was big enough to sleep six adults comfortably, and it was perfectly round. Tonks chuckled while Harry looked around. He had obviously never been in such surroundings before. After he finished looking around, he returned to the sitting room and sprawled out on one of the love seats. Tonks sat on the other seat.  
>"Are you still sore from earlier?" Tonks asked softly. Harry looked over at her an noticed that she had returned to her normal looks. He nodded heavily.<br>"Not as much as I was, but I still feel like I have been lifting heavy furniture for a few days straight. What did you do to Hedwig?" Tonks laughed lightly.  
>"You can't use that kind of charm on a magical animal, their bodies aren't suited for it, so I charmed her cage to change the appearance of what is inside it." Harry looked confused for a moment.<br>"Hedwig is magical?" Tonks laughed out loud.  
>"Of course she is, silly. How do you think she can find people when she delivers post? How do you think she always finds her way home to you, no matter where you are? Have you ever noticed her communicating with you? Ordinary owls can't do that. Only magical creatures are sold at wizarding pet stores. Take Crookshanks, for example, he is half Kneazle. There are magical cats, but there are no nonmagical Kneazles. So by being half Kneazle, Crookshanks must be magical. I am a little surprised that you haven't learned this in Care of Magical Creatures class." Harry shuddered.<br>"Hagrid is a good teacher, but he prefers to teach about creatures that are much more dangerous. The first class we had with him was on Blast-Ended Skrewts." Harry shuddered again. "Anyways, I don't think that owls and cats is what you wanted to talk about is it?" Tonks smiled as she shook her head. Just as she was about to speak, there was a tapping at the window. A large black raven was tapping on the glass. Harry got up and opened the window. The bird dropped a very official looking envelope in Harry's hands and flew back out the window immediately. Harry closed the window and sat back down with a look of confusion on his face.  
>"Harry, what is it?" Harry said nothing, he simply held up the letter. It was addressed to Henry Flatbush.<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Dear Mr. Flatbush,  
>This letter is being sent to you in response to some business we have to conduct with you. I realize that the above name is not the one you were born with, and rest assured that the knowledge of that fact will stay safely with us. We keep a very close eye on our business concerns, and have ways of knowing things that your kind does not know about. Now, in order to ensure the safety of this document, we have placed a security feature within it. In order to reveal the rest of the letter, you must place the tip of your wand on the center of the document, and speak aloud the name of the business you helped to start.<p>

Sincerely,  
>Griphook<br>Head goblin of wizard affairs  
>Gringotts<p>

Harry showed the letter to Tonks and shrugged. He placed the tip of his wand on the parchment and said, "Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes." With that, the letter shuddered in his hand, and the writing evaporated, revealing a much different missive beneath.

Mr. Potter:  
>First, I would like to offer my condolences on the passing of your godfather, Sirius Black. I understand that he was quite possibly the only true father-figure you ever had, and the method of his passing was especially traumatic for you. It is with great reluctance that I send this letter so soon, but as will be explained later, haste is needed.<p>

As you are aware, Gringotts is owned, managed and governed by goblins alone. Therefore, wizarding law is largely irrelevant to us. Your godfather, knowing this, left with us a will and instructions on its disbursement should he pass on. I would have given you time to mourn, but according to our own laws, if a will is not read within 90 days of a persons passing, all of his or her assets go to the nearest living relative. I do not know if you are aware of this, but Mr. Black's nearest living relative is Narcissa Malfoy. We are aware of Mrs. Malfoy's allegiance and do not wish to aid her and her associates in their cause, therefore the reading of Mr. Black's will must be done immediately.

It has also come to our recent attention that some things that were left to you by your parents never made it to you and we wish to rectify that error. Due to your disappearance from the wizarding world on the day of their death, their will was never read, and there are no other relatives alive. I am sorry to tell you this, but you are truly the last Potter. Unless you wed and have children, one of the oldest wizarding families will die with you.

There is also the matter of the business that is jointly owned by yourself and the Weasley twins. But that can wait until we can speak in person. I know you will not like this, but Headmaster Dumbledore will be at the reading of the will, as he is also a beneficiary. There will be a few other attendees, but you need not worry about that. The reading will be tomorrow morning at 8:30 am at Gringotts. Please arrive a few minutes early and ask for me. We have a few other things to discuss.

Thank you.  
>Griphook<p>

Harry handed the now-changed letter to Tonks and tried to stop his head from spinning. He put his head in his hands as he thought about Sirius and his death. He didn't want his godfather's things or his money. He just wanted him to walk through the door, barking that laugh of his and telling everyone what a big joker he was. Harry wanted that, but he knew it was not possible. Harry felt the cushion next to him sink, and looked up into Tonks' lavender eyes, and he realized for the first time that he was not the only one who was truly hurt by his godfather's death. He realized that he didn't need to mourn alone. As he and Tonks clung to each other, crying bitter but cleansing tears of grief, Harry realized for the first time that he now knew what love truly was. He knew now that he loved Sirius and that Sirius had loved him. He knew that Tonks had loved her cousin too, and that his death was just as hard on her as it was on him. He knew that, from this moment on, he and Tonks would share a special bond forever. A bond formed from their combined grief, and the mutual comfort, both given and received, that was the result of their shared mourning. After about a half-hour of crying and talking about Sirius, they both felt the true catharsis that marks the beginning of the healing process. Tonks looked at Harry for a long minute. She gave him a huge hug, and then stood.

"It's getting late, I am going to go grab a shower and then you can do the same. After that, bed. We have to get up early, and we have a lot to do tomorrow." Harry again blushed furiously at the mention of Tonks in the shower. Tonks again decided to ignore it. She remembered how easily embarrassed she had been at that age, which really hadn't been that long ago.

After Tonks went into the bathroom to get her shower, Harry began unpacking his trunk into the armoire and shelves in the bedroom. His body worked on auto-pilot as his mind went over the events of the day. The first few hours had been okay, riding the train back to Kings Cross. That took until almost noon. After that, things had gone downhill. The long ride back to Surrey with Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia running their mouths about him the whole way had been terrible. Then there was the nice little blank spot in his memory, where he had apparently almost killed his uncle. The visit from Dumbledore hadn't been as bad as he had expected, but he didn't believe for a second that the headmaster would keep his word about keeping him informed and letting him make his own decisions. After waiting so long to tell him the prophecy, and then springing it on him hours after his godfather's death, Harry was questioning both the headmaster's motives and his judgment. He mulled over the prophecy in his mind, wondering what the true meaning of it all was.

After a moment, he realized he had been standing in the same spot, holding his cauldron for several minutes. He finished unpacking his things and was about to sit in front of the fire, when there was again a pecking on the window. He opened it and this time a large brown barn owl swept in and dropped three letters into his hands. It then flew over to the owl perch that was next to the window and waited. Harry supposed it was waiting for a response. Two of the letters were addressed to him as Harry Potter and one to Tonks. All three bore the seal of the Ministry of Magic. He opened the first letter.

Mr. Potter,  
>In light of the events that occurred in the last month, a repeal of all Educational Decrees put forth by Dolores Umbridge has been issued. Your Quidditch ban has been canceled and your broom will be returned to you upon the start of the term on September 1st. We apologize for the mistreatment you received at her hands, and encourage you to press formal charges against her for assault. We were informed anonymously about her use of blood quills on you last term, and she will be facing charges from the Ministry and the Hogwarts Board of Governors. Your additional charges would solidify the case against her and almost guarantee her conviction. The final choice, however, is yours and yours alone to make. If you do wish to press charges, please contact me immediately.<br>Yours,  
>Griselda Marchbanks<br>Department of Education

Harry smiled. He wasn't sure about pressing charges, but he was glad to know that he would be able to fly again. He opened the second letter, which was much thicker.

Harry Potter  
>Due to the repeated attempts on your life by the followers of You-Know-Who (Harry rolled his eyes) it has been decided by the Wizengamot in a majority vote that you be exempted from the limits placed on underage wizards. As of your reading of this letter, you are now considered a fully qualified wizard with all rights and privileges entitled thereto. You may apply for your apparition license after your sixteenth birthday, and you are no longer bound by the restriction of use of underage magic. Also please note that all previous offenses involving underage magic use have been expunged from your record.<p>

It has also been decided in a unanimous vote that, until you return to Hogwarts in September, an Auror will be on detached duty to protect you at all times. At the suggestion of Headmaster Dumbledore, Nymphadora Tonks was approved for this duty. Her metamorphmagus abilities and skill in concealment will be a benefit to you at this time.

It has also been decided that you should be informed of a few things before the rest of the wizarding world finds out. The Wizengamot has unanimously voted to remove Cornelius Fudge from the post of Minister of Magic. The new minister will be elected one week from tomorrow. This information will be in the Daily Prophet in the morning. The candidates for Minister are listed here: Amos Diggory, Amelia Bones, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Albus Dumbledore, William Weasley, and Dirk Cresswell. I should also inform you that Mr. Shacklebolt and Prof. Dumbledore declined their nominations. We are telling you this ahead of time for a reason. With the knowledge of You-Know-Who's return, your popularity in the wizarding world has once again risen. It is believed that if you publicly supported one of these candidates, they would most likely win the election.

Finally, the trial of those involved in the attack on the Department of Mysteries will take place on the second of August. Your presence is required, as you are one of the material witnesses to the events that happened. You will not be on trial, as your presence there has been cleared as legal. The testimony that you and your friends will give could very well serve to put Lucius Malfoy in Azkaban for life. We expect you in Courtroom 2 at 9am on August 2nd. Please do not be late.  
>Sincerely,<br>The Wizengamot

P.S. Enclosed are your OWL scores and class list for next term. Please choose the classes you will take and send the list to Professor McGonagall by return owl. You may use the owl that brought these letters.

Harry pulled the parchment containing his OWL scores out of the envelope.

O.W.L. Scores for Harry James Potter:  
>Astronomy: P (Fail, No OWL)<br>Care of Magical Creatures: O (Pass, Two OWL's)  
>Charms: E (Pass, One OWL)<br>Defense Against the Dark Arts: O+ (Pass, Three OWL's)  
>Mr. Potter has received the highest score ever achieved on this OWL.<br>Divination: P (Fail, No OWL)  
>Herbology: A (Pass, One OWL)<br>History of Magic: D (Fail, No OWL)  
>Potions: A (Pass, One OWL)<br>Transfiguration: O (Pass, Two OWL's)

Mr. Potter, you have received ten OWL's and we congratulate you. Next year, you must take DADA, Charms, Transfiguration and Herbology. You may also take up to four other classes. You have available to you: Care of Magical Creatures, Arithmancy, Muggle Studies, Ancient Runes, Magical Healing, Household Magic, Spell Creation. Please owl your choices to your head of house as soon as possible. Thank you.

Harry sat down at the desk and pulled out a quill and an inkwell. He thought for a minute, and then leaned over the parchment and circled Care of Magical Creatures, Magical Healing, Household Magic, and Spell Creation. He folded the paper up and then stopped. He smiled, and quickly copied down his OWL scores. He then refolded the parchment, wrote Professor McGonagall's name on it and handed it to the owl. The owl took the paper in his beak and flew out the window. Harry walked back into the bedroom with the third letter in his hand.

"Hey, Dora, you got a letter from the Ministry," he called out. "I am gonna put it on the bed." He turned around after doing so and stopped dead in his tracks. Tonks was standing in the bathroom door, drying her hair with a towel. What caught Harry's eye was the fact that she was wearing only a skin-tight tank top that stopped just above her navel, and a tiny pair of pink knickers. It was quite obvious that she was not wearing anything under the top. Since she had a towel around her head, Harry took the time to drink in the sight of her, noticing that she was very trim and slender, but filled out in all the right places. She turned away from him to grab her brush off the counter and he couldn't help but notice a birthmark on her left thigh, just below her rather nice butt, that was shaped like a rose. He wondered if her skin was as silky as it looked, and turned bright red at the thought of finding out. Unfortunately, that was the exact moment that she decided to turn around and remove the towel from her head. She raised an eyebrow at his rather prolific blush, but said nothing as she jerked her head at the shower and then walked into the bedroom. Harry grabbed his clothes and a towel and dashed into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. If she was going to bed dressed (or rather not dressed) like that, Harry probably wasn't going to get much sleep.  
>****HPHP****HPHP****HPHP****<p>

A/N: Just wanted to say this before the flames begin. This is NOT going to be a "Harry and Tonks falling into bed and waking up engaged" crap-fic. Harry will have a romance with someone, it might be Tonks, it might not, I haven't gotten that far yet, so I still haven't decided. He will NOT be starting a romance until AFTER he finishes his training. There will, however, be PLENTY of teenage virginal embarrassment for Harry. So, since I already have chapter five written, and I know how it begins, let me repeat, Harry and Tonks are NOT going to be hooking up(in any manner) any time soon, if they even hook up at all. -RevCorby

P.S. I try to respond to every review and message, but I will NOT respond to questions about when I will post the next chapter. I try to stay three chapters ahead of what is posted, so it depends entirely upon how much time life gives me to write. Thanks.

P.P.S. I am working with formatting so please bear with me as I try to figure out what works best on this site. Please let me know what you think of the formatting of this chapter compared with previous chapters.


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